Device for packing and supporting toys.



No. 782,817. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

G. W. BEISER.

DEVICE FOR PACKING AND SUPPORTING TOYS. APPLICATION FILED APB..12,1904.

UNITED STATES Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. BEISER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO FRANCES H. VAN VEOHTEN, OF HOLLIS, NEVV YORK.

DEVICE FOR PACKING AND SUPPORTING TOYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,817, dated February 21, 1905. Application filed April 12, 1904. Serial No. 202,878.

T0 to whmn it may 00700072 1."

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. BEISER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Packing and Supporting Toys; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in devices for packing and displaying toy figures or the like.

The small toys, what are commonly termed lead soldiers of commerce, are in some instances secured in horizontal positions on a supporting-tray or cardboard sheet by thread passed through the sheet and over the figures to retain them in the horizontal or what is termed flat position on the sheet. The advantages gained by this method of supporting the toys are the small space required for packing and the small sizes of boxes necessary to receive the trays. However, toys thus secured horizontally onthe trays cannot be properly and effectively displayed on counters of the retailers and do not make the showing or display to attract purchasers which they would do if the toys were arranged in the standing or upright position. Where the toys are secured to the trays in the upright or standing position to make the most attractive appearance and display, the expense in the production of the goods is increased by reason of the large-sized cardboard boxes required and the large-sized cases necessary to receive a given number of cardboard boxes for shipment.

It is an object of my invention to provide a means for supporting or securing toys to the trays or supporting-cards so that they can be packed and shipped in the horizontal or flat condition and yet so that they can be easily and quickly raised to the natural upright position and be thus displayed on the counters of the retailers, and thus combine in the one device the advantages of both the fiat and upright methods.

IVith these and other objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements of parts, as more fully and particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which I show constructions merely as examples for purposes of illustration from among other forms and devices within the spirit and scope of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a packing-box partially broken away to show the tray or supportingsheet within the box and carrying the toys, several toys being shown thereon swung down to the horizontal or flat positions which they assume when packed. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing a portion of a supporting-tray with the toys in upright or displayed position. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the base portion of the toy and the base-plate receiving the same and having the hinge or flexible connection for attachment to the tray, the base-plate being shown separated from the toy and tray. Fig. 4: is a detail plan view of the base-plate and hinge connection shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section of the baseplate and hinge connection of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail cross-section through a portion of the sheet or tray and through a securing plate or member, showing the spurs thereof passed through the tray and clenched.

In the drawings, a is any suitable packingbox adapted to receive a tray carrying the toys. These packing-boxes are usually made of cardboard of the slip-cover type.

b is the tray or sheet to which the toys are attached. This tray is usually of a size to fit in the box, so that when the cover of the box is removed and slipped onto the bottom of the box the tray can remain in the box with the toys displayed therein. This tray can be composed of any suitable material, although one or more sheets of heavy cardboard are generally employed for this purpose.

0 represents the toy figures, each being usually cast in suitable metal with a flat base (Z, which will support the toy in an upright natural position. The toy-bases can be formed of any desirable contour or outline, although they are generally formed circular or elliptical. My invention comprises means for securing means.

base.

each toy to the supporting sheet or tray, sol from the rear edges of the base-plates when that the toy can swing down to rest in a horizontal position against the tray or can be swung up to stand in the vertical or upright position on the tray.

My invention comprises a hinged, pivotal, or flexible connection between the tray and the toy, and I prefer that the toy be detachably coupled or secured to this connection, so that each toy can be entirely detached from the connection and tray. Various means can be provided for this purpose, and the connection on which the toy swings can be in the form of a loose joint, a pivot-hinge, ora strip or piece of flexible material or material capable of being bent. In the specific example illustrated in the drawings I show the means for flexibly connecting the toy with the tray, consisting of a base-plate 0, having means for confining the toy thereon and forming one leaf of a hinge, the other leaf, f, being se-.

cured fiat face down on the tray. The two thin flat plates 0 are united at their adjoining end edges by a hinge 9, formed by the horizontal transverse pivot-pin passed through ears bent from the edges of said plates. The securing-plate can be secured to the tray in any suitable manner and by any suitable As an example of what might be employed for this purpose I show spurs or points it struck up from the edges of said plate and passed through the tray and clenched on the under side of the tray to firmly secure the device to the tray. The thin flat base-plate rests against and parallel with the flat bottom face of the toy-base and if desired can be approximately the same dimensions as the toy- Any suitable means can be provided to confine the toy-base to the base-plate. As an example of means which might be employed for this purpose I show several projections or ears struck up from the edges of the plate a and turned down over the toy-base to hold the toy-base on the base-plate. I preferably so arrange the projections d that the toy-base can slip laterally onto the base-plate and under the ears, whereby the toy can be removed from the base-plate whenever desired. Children can hence remove the toys readily from the base-plates and amuse themselves with the toys entirely separated from the tray. Children may also find a source of amusement in applying the toys to and removing them from the base-plates. The projections preferably engage the toy-bases with sufficient pressure to hold the toys to the base-plates and against accidental displacement therefrom during shipment.

It will be observed that the securing plates or members f can be arranged under the baseplates when the toys are in the upright position, so that the base-plates conceal or cover said securing plates or members, or the securing plates or members can extend rearwardly the toys are in the upright position. hen the toys are in the upright position, the baseplates rest on the fiat surface of the tray and with a fair degree of firmness hold the toys upright, as the pivotal or flexible connection can be formed of the necessary degree of stiffness to hold the toy in either the horizontal or the upright position against accidental displacement.

It will be observed thatl preferably arrange the hinge connection at the rear of the toy and also that the hinge connection is transversely arranged to hold the toy against lateral displacement, permitting movement of the toy preferably only in a vertical plane from the horizontal to the vertical position.

The means for fiexibly connecting or securing the toy to the tray can be formed of any suitable material and in any desirable manner to permit the swinging movement described. The specific means I have illustrated for this purpose can be stamped from thin sheet metal and the hinge connections can be rapidly and economically made by machinery and mechanical means can be employed to economically fasten the securing members to the tray.

I employ the term hinge connection herein in a broad sense to include any means, whether pivotal or flexible,for securing the toy to the tray or other suitable supporting or carrying means and to permit the swinging movement of the toy from the horizontal to the vertical position, and vice versa.

All the toys on a tray can be quickly and simultaneously tilted by gravity to the upright or display position by merely reversing the tray, and the toys will thereupon all drop down to the vertical position. The tray can then be restored to normal position and the toys will retain their standing display positions thereon.

It is evident that various changes and modifications might be resorted to in the forms, constructions, and arrangements of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact constructions illustrated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A tray, in combination with a plate having spurs passed through the tray and clenched, and a toy having a base on which it is adapted to stand in the upright position and having a hinge connection with said plate.

2. A fiat supportingtray, in combination with several independent toy figures removably secured thereon, and independent hinge connections between said figures and the tray, the axis of each connection being transverse to the plane of the tray, whereby each figure can swing in a vertical plane only in assuming IIO the upright standing position or the flat or horizontal position down on the tray, substantially as described.

3. A fiat supporting tray or sheet, in combination with several independent verticallyswinging toys independently hinged thereto, each toy having a base on which it is adapted to stand in the upright position on the tray, each hinge connection confining its toy to swing in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the tray from a flat position on the tray to the upright position, whereby the tray can be packed in a shallow box with the toys in the flat position, and the toys can be restored by gravity to the standing position for display by reversing and then restoring the tray to its normal position, substantially as described.

4. A supporting sheet or tray, in combination with several independent verticallyswinging toy figures arranged on the top face .of the tray, each figure having a bottom plate removably secured thereto, said plates being hinged to the tray, substantially as described.

5. A carrier, in combination with a toy adapted to either stand in display position or rest in fiat or horizontal position on the tray, and a base-plate on the bottom of the toy and confined thereto, said plate being hinged to said support to swing vertically with the toy, substantially as described.

6. A carrier, in combination with a vertically swinging toy figure having its base hinged to said carrier, said figure adapted to either stand in the upright display position on the carrier or to rest thereon in the flat or horizontal position, the axis on which said figure swings being arranged horizontally and at an edge of the base of said figure, substantially as described.

7. A carrier, in combination with a vertically-swinging toy figure removably hinged to said carrier, said figure swinging on a trans verse axis, and having a base on which it is adapted to stand upright when on or removed from said carrier, substantially as described.

8. A carrier, in combination with a toy figure having a base on which it is adapted to stand upright, a plate on the bottom of said base and removably secured thereto, and a hinge securing said plate to the carrier and having a transverse axis, whereby said figure swings in a vertical plane between the horizontal or fiat position and the upright or display position.

9. A supporting-tray, in combination with a vertically-swinging toy figure adapted to either stand in upright display position on the tray or rest in the horizontal or fiat position thereon, and a hinge connection confining said figure to the tray and having projections passed through the tray and clenched,substan tially as described.

10. A sheet or tray, in combination with a plurality of independent freely vertically swinging removable toy figures arranged on the top face thereof and each adapted to either stand in the upright display position on the tray or rest in the flat or horizontal position thereon, each figure being independently hinged to said tray and swinging on an axis arranged to one side of its base, substantially as described.

11. A supporting-tray, in combination with a plurality of toy figures arranged thereon and each having a flat base on which it is adapted to stand in upright display position, each base having a flat plate on the bottom thereof and removably clipped thereto, and hinge connections between the edges of said plates and said tray and securing the plates thereto to swing vertically, substantially as described.

12. A tray, in combination with a plurality of flat plates arranged on the top face thereof, hinge connections between the edges of said plates and the tray and securing the plates to the tray to rest on and parallel with the top face thereof and to swing up on one edge at an angle to said top face, and toy figures seated on said plates and swinging therewith, substantially as described.

13. A tray, in combination with a vertically-swinging toy figure having a base on which it is adapted to stand in the upright display position, and a hinge connection between said base and the tray comprising a transverse pivot arranged to one side of the base.

M. A tray, in combination with a vertically-swinging toy figure arranged on the top face of the tray and having a base on which it is adapted to stand in upright display position, and a hinge connection between said base and the tray comprising a trans verse pivot arranged at one edge of the base and securing means clenched to the tray, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHAS. W. BEISER.

Witnesses:

HUBERT E. Pnox,

L. WHITE. 

